Haku x Chihiro Remember Spirited Away
by daintymoo
Summary: Twelve years has passed since the forgotten visit to the spirit world. After meeting a beautiful stranger, Chihiro is suddenly spiraled back into the world of the past to relive the memories along side her childhood love.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Ten long minutes passed before the curious brunette broke the silence with the stranger to her right. He had stolen her attention almost immediately as he walked along the edge of the lake, his strides slow and powerful. His dark hair was long enough to touch the mid of his back and he was dressed in the finest of robes, something she found to be unusual in modern day Japan. When he had sat beside her, she instinctively held her breath and though she didn't know why, it seemed like her life depended on it. Finally the quietness was too much to bare, for even the rustling of the trees above and the gentle coos of the loon couldn't distract her from the beautiful human being that had sat beside her on the bench. "The robes are beautiful," Chihiro Ogino said with a welcoming grin. "Are you coming from a ceremony?" Her smile soon began to fade as it became apparent that the stranger wasn't interested in her failed attempt at small talk, for he didn't budge or even merely look in her direction. The air was thick and painfully uncomfortable. Deciding not to endure the awkwardness any further, the young woman slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder and stood to leave. However, that decision came to a sudden halt when the stranger clung to the end sleeve of her shirt and tugged her to sit back down. She was just about to blurt out a "hey, watch it!" before she turned to see him gazing up at her with brilliant green eyes, wide with what seemed to be panic and distress. The moment their eyes met, the man quickly let go of her shirt and cleared his throat uncomfortably, sitting up straight and sitting with his back straight to the bench. "I apologize," he said. A calmness washed over them, as if magic, as a gentle smile appeared on his face. It was comforting and somehow felt familiar. "I just wasn't sure what to say- it's been so long." He cut himself short and quickly followed up with, "Please, sit."

The conversation stretched from the bench, along the edge of the lake, and eventually to a small restaurant downtown where the strangers smiled across each other with a shared plate of ramen and dumplings between them. "This entire time and you haven't asked for my name yet. I'm Chihiro," the girl said before popping a full dumpling into her mouth. She chewed it awkwardly, clearly it was too big for her mouth to fully chew, yet continued on trying instead of spitting it into the napkin on her lap. The man simply smiled in return, his eyes warm and inviting. Something within him wanted to say _I know_ but he instead said, "I'm Haku." Chihiro immediately swallowed and looked up at him, her brown locks bouncing off of her shoulders, and looked at him skeptically. The wheels were churning in her head and she couldn't seem to understand why. "I was named after a river in my hometown," he said nonchalantly, "It was called the Kohaku River." His eyes were dead set on hers, as if he were searching for something within her, but she only said, "I used to go there as a kid. I think it's apartments now."

Neither of them wanted the night to end, though neither of them would ever admit that to the other. Haku insisted on walking her home, which Chihiro naively agreed to, and the walk home seemed to the last forever. A distinct moment was when she had reached for his hand, which he quickly shoved down into the pockets of his robes. _Ouch,_ she thought to herself. But she didn't blame him; he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen and it was silly to think he would be interested in her, at least in that way. It was shocking that he had even offered to bring her home. The embarrassment only grew as they walked through her neighborhood and drew closer to the apartments. The streets were littered was glass, broken shards of alcohol bottles, and cigarettes. Shouting could always be heard from the windows as well as painful stares from the men whenever she walked by. Tonight was the first time in a long time she hadn't been cat called, as if Haku was her protector from all the neighborhood perverts. "It's strange to see a precious girl in such a scummy environment." Shocked by the comment, Chihiro quickly opened her mouth to retaliate but suddenly found herself lost in the words 'precious girl.' She hadn't felt butterflies in her stomach for years. "Most people with fancy apartments only have them off of their parents' money," she finally said, "I earned my home. Speaking of-" They stopped in front of one of the buildings and clutched her purse in both fists. She watched as the man's eyes scanned the building and then fell upon hers. Haku grinned to himself when he noticed that she was blushing and clearly waiting for something more. "Goodnight. Sen."

"Sen?" Chihiro said aloud. Anger bubbled over her being as she watched the man walk away underneath the orange street lights, and caused her to walk after him. "A precious girl whose name you can't even remember?" She said. Her voice was whining and pathetic, something she was often criticized for years before but thought she had left behind, but she couldn't help but feel the hurt wash over her. She had only known Haku for a night but somehow, him calling her the wrong name was simply infuriating. He didn't turn around when he heard her angry footsteps but slowed down, eventually coming to a full stop to allow her to catch up with him. Both of them were caught off guard when Chihiro had reached him and grabbed his hand; her voice raised and ready to continue on the badgering but suddenly she stopped. There was a squeeze on her hand and suddenly everything she had ever forgotten came flooding back. _Chihiro, what a pretty name!... You work for me now. Sen._ Images of the bath house flashed in her mind so vividly that she began to question if she were there again or in the streets in front of her home. _You don't remember your name?... No, but for some reason I remember yours._ His smile was so innocent. _I remember now, I was the spirit of the Kohaku River?... A river spirit?"_ A river spirit. Haku. Her mind was spinning and totally overwhelmed, absorbed by the memories she desperately had tried to cling to but had vanished with every step through the tunnel. She could feel the thoughts of Haku falling apart but he told her to go on, told her that her parents were waiting for her on the other side. Her eyes swelled with memories in the form of tears, spilling down her cheeks. Haku caressed her cheek with one hand and stroked his long fingertips down the other side, tracing her tears with trembling hands. "Haku," she cried. "I had nearly forgotten. Oh, Haku."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Limbs weak and head spinning, the naive brunette was carried up the endless stairs of her own apartment building and barely able to combat her collapsed state enough to open the door once they reached her home. Haku had slung her arm over his shoulders and guided her patiently through each step; feeling her body pulsating from panic in his arms and her frantic energy flowing right through her arms and into him. It was as if she were in a trance, for her eyes were milky and gaze was far off; somewhere deep in a dream land where he imagined all the memories she were reliving all at once. He finally convinced the dazed-off Chihiro to hand over her keys and fumbled through each one before finding the correct one and unlocking the door to her apartment. Chihiro's home was nothing like he had pictured it. It was practical and elegant, far more expensive and adult looking compared to her surroundings. He then finally started to realize that she was now in fact an adult, he had only known her as a foolish child and had only seen a glimpse into her grown self- just before he was forced to say goodbye.

Her dark eyes fluttered open slowly and though her head was now pounding with grief, Chihiro was happy to be staring into the eyes of her beloved friend Haku. "H-Haku," she breathed. The corners of her lips turned into a gentle smile and he returned it through draped over bangs that reached the tip of his nose. He was kneeling along side her as she laid in her bed, pajamas on and snugly tucked in underneath the sheets. Before Chihiro could mention it, Haku quickly reassured her, "I'm not interested in such things. I just didn't want you to be cold in your street clothes; you fell down into a puddle during your episode." The tension slowly subsided and Chihiro closed her eyes to fully digest everything that was going on. She never expected to see him again and though she didn't remember, every ounce of her being was missing him every day. Slowly her eyes began to fill with tears.

"You weren't meant to know just yet," Haku sighed, "I'm so sorry it had to go down that way." He was clearly avoiding eye contact but was forced to be drawn to her when she shot up in bed; her tears of sadness suddenly churning into tears of rage. "I've been alone. All this time," she cried in short puffs, "you could have been here. But you made me forget you. Forget you, and Lin, and Kamaji. You could have been here after what happened - you know, don't you? _Don't you?"_ Her blood shot eyes were dead set on his. He quivered inside. "I don't know what you're speaking of," he lied. "I don't believe you," she cried harder. "I was _all alone._ After my father left, my mother was just _so_ sad. But you know what she did. Don't you? Don't you make me say it." The bed vibrated slightly from the shaking of Chihiro's legs and with every bellowing cry she released, Haku could barely stand to take it any longer. "I can only imagine," he lied again. _I wanted to come back_ , he yearned to reassure her, _but it wasn't the right time._ But for now, a shoulder to cry on as well as a punching bag was enough reassurance.

After she was calmed down and settled with a cup of tea, reality seemed to be truly setting in between the old friends. Chihiro went on and on about her teen years and entering her twenties, all stories that Haku knew already but would never say to her. When she had asked what he had been doing or where he had been, he simply said, "Here and there. Kind of floating, it is my nature after all." _A river joke._ "You're the same as I remember you," Chihiro said with a faint smile, "with longer hair, of course." She had the sudden urge in all ten fingertips to touch him but resisted. She wanted to run her fingers down that long hair and twirl it around like a baby would. She wondered if it felt like the fur that lined his scales that night. Those same fingers started trembling against the tea cup and she quickly put it down on her night side table, sucking in a deep breath through her nostrils. He even smelled the same. _Her favorite smell._ "I should get going. You need sleep after such a day," Haku said as he rose from her bedside. His eyes were tired. "Where will you go?" Chihiro said urgently. She didn't mean to come across so strong but there was no denying the panic painted across her face. Before she could speak again, he slowly lowered himself to her level and said in a soft voice close to her ear, "I'll be here when you wake up if that's what you want."

Just as he had promised, Haku was waiting patiently at the kitchen table when Chihiro left her room and prepared to begin her morning routine. Her heart jumped a bit at the sight of him, as if she were seeing him all over again, and he could see it written all over her. He simply smiled and nodded towards the tea waiting for her across from him. "Did you sleep here?" She said with a smile as she sat down. "No," Haku replied promptly. He clearly didn't care to continue on with the conversation and instead focused forward. "Do you need to work today?" There was a pause before their eyes met again. Chihiro smiled again, sheepishly this time, and said timidly, "Uh... no. I called out today." I don't know how long you'll be around, she wanted to tell him, and want to have all the time I can get. "I can do that now that I'm not working at a bathhouse," she chuckled. The joke didn't go over well, for Haku neither laughed nor smiled. He continued sipping his drink and she did the same. Silently.

"It's time for me to go," Haku finally said. He was already up from the table and heading for the door before Chihiro started babbling from behind him, "B-but I already called out of work, don't you want to stay- just a little while-?" She almost reached out and grabbed him again before remembering what had had happened last time. "You just came back!" She finally called. Haku's hand had just touched the door handle before his head bowed and he sighed, feeling himself melting within and yet standing as strong as a statue outside. "I shouldn't have come back." His bluntness struck her like a brick and she stopped in her tracks, physically clutching at her chest as if she were attempting to mend the hit. Her breath hitched but she managed to say, "But why? What have I done?" What she had done wasn't the matter, he knew that. Of course he knew that. "You were fine on your own," he said without turning around, "and we weren't meant to meet again. It's not _natural_ for me to be here."

"Not natural?" Chihiro croaked. She felt her teeth baring down but before she could yell, she simmered herself down almost instantly and instead stayed in place and clenched her fists. "Not natural," Haku repeated. His tone was harsh. "It wasn't natural for you to be in my home and now I shouldn't be in yours." With his words, Chihiro slowly strode toward him with small steps. His hand was still on the knob but he was no longer turning it. "Maybe I wasn't meant to be there but things changed for the better," she said slowly, "but tell me. Why did you come back?" That had done it. Within a moments notice, his arm quickly drew back from the door and he spun on his heels in a speed she had never seen from him before. His eyes were wide and his face completely out of character as he cried out, "Maybe your memories can be erased but _mine cannot._ Twelve years of that haunting me every single day, the promise that we would meet again knowing very well it wasn't supposed to happen. I don't belong here. But I do... belong beside you. In whatever way. As your protector, your friend. Your-"

Before he could finish, Chihiro's lips were on his and the two childhood friends were met in a passionate kiss. His mouth was frozen in shock but slowly began to move in sync with hers, which were going back and forth between breath and additional kiss. Her arms were in a tight lock around his neck and she kissed him longer the last time, savoring the sweet scent and now taste that would also be her favorite. The memories were flooding back and now, it wasn't just that- it was the present and it was unbelievable. She could feel him fading but herself fading also, out of the human world she had come to know for so long and into a place that she had been so long before.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Flustered and emotionally unprepared, the couple laid their foreheads together with eyes closed and exchanged heavy breaths. Chihiro had always considered herself outspoken but for once in her life, she was at a loss for words. The silence was only ruptured when she again burst into tears, sinking to her knees and bowing her head in submission to the person she had forgotten, yet loved. "I don't want you to leave again," she sobbed. Tears spilled out of her eyes in large drops and caused mascara to stain the tops of her cheeks, leaving her face spoiled as she finally looked up to Haku, who had subtly placed his hand underneath his chin and slowly forced it upwards. He had sunken down to her level and his eyes were swimming somewhere else. "Come," he said gentle yet firmly, "I want to show you something."

"W-where are we going?" Chihiro sputtered as she wobbled along behind Haku, who had a strong grip on her hand and was guiding her at a quick rate. He moved so swiftly through the streets and it made her trip up even more just from nerves. Slowly they found themselves out of the slums and into a wooded area blocks away, highly discouraged towards the public and practically forbidden according to the block offs on the dirt roads. Their hands only stopped touching when Haku swiftly lifted himself quickly over the block and then extended a hand to help her. Chihiro quickly shook her head 'no' in response. She was actually pouting, Haku thought to himself. "Trust me on this," he ordered. She took his hand without a fuss.

Chihiro held her breath once they reached a strangely open field among the trees, where Haku slowly strode into and let go of her. She closed her eyes and allowed her body to absorb the surroundings; it was practically unthinkable to believe this wasn't a dream but somehow, the breeze on her skin reassured her that she was in fact here with the river spirit and this was real. Her thought process was quickly interrupted by a loud thump which caused her eyes to fly open and she jumped back, quickly squawking, "Oh, _no_ way!" She was staring into the menacing eyes of the dragon she had met twelve years previous, his once vibrant mane now a duller teal and his scales scar ridden yet still somehow beautiful. He bowed his head toward her slowly from roughly ten feet away and closed his eyes as well, somehow telling her 'it's okay' as his whiskers slowly flowed in the breeze that had been kissing her skin. Chihiro approached him slowly and cautiously though everything within her wanted to run and feel his mane. "I had almost forgotten that you're a dragon," she whispered into the wind. She knew his words has hit him when he opened his eyes and looked up at her, the warmth in them filling her up just like the brightest of smiles. He was waiting for something. "Haku," she said softly as she touched his mane. It was just as soft as his dark locks when he was in 'human' form, they somehow felt the same. Visions of crashing waves washed over, the feeling of water caressing her every being and the feel of Haku underneath her; carrying her away from the depths. More tears spilled down her cheeks but she started to smile. "Okay," she whispered before clumsily swinging her leg over one side of him and then climbing on.

The cars below were no bigger than pebbles as the passing by citizens were to ants. Chihiro's thighs quivered against the chilling scales as shivers surged through her veins, only causing her to clutch on tighter to the dragon's mane. She nuzzled herself into the soft hair and held it with tight fists, her hands barely the size as they were the last time she had clutched it. Despite the wind chilling her to the bone, she couldn't help but gush, "It's so beautiful up here, Haku." Mist of the clouds were spraying against her bare legs and she slowly released his mane to feel it against her palms. Suddenly, Haku bucked up his back and released a low growl which instinctively caused her to grab on again even tighter. "Sorry," she giggled breathlessly, shaking off the nerves. But the more time that passed and the longer that the silence grew between them, the less the girl focused on the beautiful among them and finally said softly into the mist, "You're taking me somewhere, aren't you."

Her stomach now twisting into knots, Chihiro began to recognize the area below more and more. They slowly passed over her old high school, the building practically falling apart now, and the grocery store she would visit every Sunday alongside her mother. The roads weren't nearly as busy as they had been years before and it seemed that her past had become a ghost town. "Why are you taking me here, Haku?" Chihiro said sternly. Her voice cracked when she spoke but she quickly cleared her throat to distract from it, though she knew he surely hadn't missed it. "I haven't been here ever since... my mother," she breathed. At this point she wasn't sure if she were just talking to him or to herself at this point. Minutes passed with her deep in thought and she had barely even noticed that they were slowly drifting closer and closer to the ground.

"Why," Chihiro hiccuped. They had landed in front of the statue that had once frightened her over twelve years ago, the very reason she ran off after her parents through the haunting building and to the lands of the spirit world. She remembered clinging onto her mother's sleeve, her saying "you'll make me trip!" as they both followed her father who was triumphantly leading them in long strides. Moss had overgrown the statue and she could barely make out the disturbing creature's face anymore. She touched it, rubbing the green fibers through her fingertips, and stood still facing Haku's back. His hair was short again, just like the day they had met, and suddenly his vibrant robes were replaced by his bath house uniform. "Haku, tell me why we're here!" She demanded. Her fingers were now trembling against the moss as she watched him turn around, looking nearly like the ghost of what he once was with his uniform, with a stern expression on his face. "I'm here to show you," he said slowly, "what your sweet memories have become."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The walk through the building felt like an eternity. An inch of dust coated the floor and a forest of foliage hung from the ceiling, making the insides look almost unrecognizable. The couple walked in silence side by side; the quietness only being broken by Chihiro sucking in a deep, nervous breath through her mouth. Her breathing was shaky. She was hoping that Haku would take her hand, but he never did. Instead he focused on looking forward and reaching the sunlight that was shining through from the other entrance. The light burned the human girl's eyes and she squinted them to slowly adjust to the outside, the field she had walked across years ago. It was as green as ever and she could even see the river just from the doorway. "There it is," she said. She realized she was smiling. It was just as she had remembered. "Here, take my hand." Haku extended his arm to Chihiro, who was struggling to cross the rocks in her mortal girl shoes. A tiny stream of water trickled among the rocks and formed the river that was the cross between the old building and all of the structures of the spirit world ahead. "I can do it," the girl said as she clumsily stumbled from rock to rock. By the time she was almost across and Haku was waiting patiently at the water's edge, she tripped up slightly but managed to fall down onto the grass beside him with nothing but a quick 'Oof!' Her cheeks were burning a crimson red but she quickly gathered herself with a simple brushing of the knees and a shake of her hair. "C'mon," Haku urged her, "I need to show you already."

The streets were a mess. All of the little shops that she had remembered were utterly destroyed with their windows smashed and the foundation only standing by shreds of wood. The only thing Chihiro could think to compare it to would be if an apocalypse had happened over night. "B-but, Haku," Chihiro said quickly as she turned to him. His eyes wouldn't meet hers but she continued on and frantically asked, "What about the bath house? It's okay, right?" When Haku finally did turn to look at her, his eyes said it all. She couldn't tell if he were sad or disappointed or even angry, but his gaze told a story of epic horror of details. "I need to see it," she said. Haku attempted to grab onto her arm but she hurried past him, running and then finally bursting into a full sprint towards the bridge.

There was no bridge. There was no bath house that she used to know. Just a secluded building taken over and eaten up by foliage, weathering, and destruction. The bridge that had stood there twelve years ago, the place she met Haku for the first time, must have collapsed into the sea below because there was no remnance to be seen. It was as if her memories were being erased right in front of her eyes. Panting from the run and on the edge of tears, Chihiro collapsed in front of the side of the cliff and sunk down to the ground; burying her face into her knees and inhaling the strong fabric scent as she silently cried into it. She felt the light touch of Haku's hand on her shoulder and quickly snapped her head to the side to look him in the eyes, his expression blunt and tired. "Why did you take me here just to see this?" The mortal whispered. "I just wanted," Haku began timidly, "for you to understand. That starts with me showing you."

The two sat alongside the cliff and it was a long time before any words were uttered again after the initial shock. "I told you... that I don't belong in the human world," Haku said slowly, "and you've seen what my home had become years ago. Apartments." With his gentle words, Chihiro could hear his voice beginning to shake and she quickly placed her hand onto his knee. He turned to her with his vibrant green eyes and blinked a few times before continuing, "There were strange disappearances. Humans wondering where they don't below and the spirits punishing them, just as they had done your parents. But for them, they didn't have a fortunate ending." His eyes drifted away from hers and to the sea below. "The locals thought this area had gone sour; that the shrines here perhaps belonged to evil spirits of some sorts. In a way, they were right." The air was thick. "So they destroyed it," Chihiro said softly. "But what did that make of Kamaji? And Lin? What about Granny and No Face, are they okay too?" Her voice was losing its softness and was now becoming more frantic. Despite how worked up she got, Haku refused to look at her and instead bowed her head in shame. But there were no more tears to cry between the two of them. He had somehow accepted it, losing his home, and she must as well.

"There's one thing I still don't understand," Chihiro finally said. The sky was becoming dark yet the two had stayed in the same place, listening to the ocean below and looking at what the bath house had become in front of them. The girl's brown eyes had filled and emptied of lost tears multiple times, but she refused to allow herself to cry in front of the man who had lost it all. "If you can't go home, then where have you been this whole time?" For the first time they had been here, a small smile peeked through on Haku's face. He still wouldn't look at her but he managed to grin as he spoke, "Looking over you I suppose. I had all the time in the world." _She hadn't been alone through it all._ He had been there for her all along; through her father leaving, losing her mother, moving through life on her own. Haku was there. "So you can live in the human world after all, Haku!" The brunette gushed. She gripped onto his hand quickly and he looked up at her, his face meeting hers which was beaming with happiness. "You can stay with me, I can find a new apartment with an extra bedroom and everything! Maybe we could move the city and find somewhere cozy, somewhere near the water for you even!" The longer she went on with the fantasies, the more she began to notice the smile disappearing from Haku's face. "What is it?" She said finally, "What's wrong? You don't want that?" _Don't want that_. Haku scoffed, how could she be so blind? Of course that's what he wanted. "You're the only one who sees me, Chihiro." His voice was stern and intimidating. "I don't know why, whether it be that day at the river or you joining the spirit world, _I don't know._ But nobody else can see me. How could we possibly live a normal life that way?" It all started to make sense. He had insisted that she order for them at the restaurant. No one had bothered them on the way home that night, but maybe it was because she looked like a lunatic talking to herself and no man would want to deal with that. It was as if he had never existed.

Thoughts were swirling through Chihiro's mind yet Haku seemed completely fine, possibly because these same thoughts had swirled through his mind time and time before on his own. "We can make it work," she finally said. They turned to look at each other, eyes wide and shiny from tears. "You came back for a reason, didn't you?" Haku shook off Chihiro's hand and balled his hands into fists as he turned away, clearly upset all over again. "It was carelessness on my part," he growled, "I just hadn't spoken to somebody in so long and I was tired of just _watching._ It started with sitting beside you. Then you actually talking to me. I told myself I'd be careful, that I wouldn't allow you to touch me or even hint at anything that could trigger your memories. I failed you, Chihiro." His eyes were suddenly red and she could see tears hiding behind him. She had never seen him so vulnerable. "Mortality separates us. How could it possibly work?" To his surprise, the girl threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. His face buried into her hair and he inhaled her sweet scent, how much he had missed being so close to her. Chihiro nuzzled her face into his shoulder and muttered, "We will make it work."


End file.
